Stringed musical instrument



, 1s, 1929. 1,699,380 J. R. STEWART v STRINGED MUSICAL I NSTRUMENT FiledFeb. 19, 19,25

Patented` Jan. 15, 1929.v 1*

JAMES R. sTEWARnorcH-Ieneo, immers.

STRINGED vMUSICAL ins'rsuiunivtr.

`Aliplicatien filed. February Theinvention relates to Yimprovements instringed musical instruments, such as uhuleles, taropatches, banjos andthelile.

The playing of stringedmusical instruments is commonly taught by the useof oral or Written instructions whichare often confusingfand Vdifficultto apply by students beginning the study of music kor lacking naturalmusical ability. Such v students are encouraged and interested if kaftera short time they are ableto play chords for simple selections. Theprimary object, therefore, of the present invention r sides in theprovision of means by the use of, Which the principal chords of astringed musical instrument can be easily and quickly learned. Y

LAnother object is to provide an instrument of the above character with'new and improved means comprising a Vplural-.ity of vcon- `trastingcharacters which are located between the frets on the finger board andunderneath the strings and which are arranged to indicate the positionson the strings Where the fingers are to be placed to play the principalchords of thefinstrument. 1 j y.

A more specific obj ect is tokprovide the contrasting characters indifferent colors, .such as rech-White and blue, the characters of eachcolor` indicating the fingering for one of the principal chords.

Still another object resides in the provision of a novel carrying mediumfor the charac-y f ters, such as a chart printed on a gummed label andpasted on'the linger board, yor celluloid dots countersunk in the fingerboard.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

The accompanying drawing is a fragmentary plan View ofa ukeleleembodying the features of my invention.

Vhile vthe invention is susceptible of,

various modifications and adaptations, I have shown in the drawing andwill herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment :as applied to aukelele, butit is to be understood that I do not vent-ion to the formdisclosed but aim in the appended claims to cover all modifications andadaptations falling within the spirit and scopey of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, l0 represents the body of a ukelele, and ll'designates the finger board having a plurality of frets l2.

The strings 13 extend along the finger board,

thereby intend to limit the in 19, 1925. Serial No. 15.188.

and 'over a nut la to a `plurality of tuning pegs l5. L

vSecured to the finger board ll are a plurality of contrastingcharacters. These characters may be ofany suitable shape or design, andmay be contrasted in any suitable manner. In the present instance, theyare circularin shape andare made in colors of red` White and blue,represented respectively at 6l7 and, 18,. ranged that they indicate thecorrect fingering for the three principal chords of one key ontheukelele. Thus, the first chord is obtained by placing a finger on thered character. 16, and leaving the other three strings open. The secondchord is obtained by plac- F ing tivo lingers over kthe White charactersl?. The third chord is obtained by placing three fingers over the bluecharacters 18.

It will be evident that my this means any onenot skilled or apt in musiccanreadily upon ythe finger board or upon suitablev gummed label orchart 19 pasted to the finger board. This chart can be pasted over thefrets l2 or can be cut to fit between the frets.

I claim as my invention: l.' A stringed musical instrument having, incombination with the linger board and a plurality of strings, aplurality of groups of contrasting characters on the finger boardbeneath the strings, each group indicating the fretting for one of aplurality of Chords of one key on the instrument.

2. A stringed musical instrument having, in combination with the fingerboard and a plurality of strings, al plurality of characters ofdifferent colors on the finger board beneath thel strings', thecharacters of each color being arranged on said finger board to indicatethe fretting for oneof a plurality of chords of a given key.

3. A stringed musical instrument comprisrlhe characters are so aringthereon a plurality of frets and a plurality of ,strings overlying saidfrets and fingerr board, a plurality of indicators having dif-lferentcharacteristics on the finger boardbetween various frets anddirectly underlying various strings, the indicators of each individualcharacteristic designating the position at which the player is to applyhis fingers to the strings to produce a definite musical chord When thestrings are played.

5.V A stringed musical instrument having, in combination with the fingerboard and the strings, a plurality of characters made in a plurality ofdistinct colorsV and positioned on the linger board beneath the'strings,said characters beingso arranged that the char.

acters of one color'indicate the fretting for the first chord, thecharacters of another color indicate the fretting for the second chord,and the characters of the third color indicate the fretting key.

6. A. stringed musical instrument having, in combina-tion with thefinger board and a plurality of strings, a plurality of contrastingcharacters on the finger board, the characters of each kind indicatingthe stopping of the for the third chord of agiven board.

a chart comprising a plurality of distinctive characters printed on saidblank, the characters beingarranged onsaid chart andthe chart beingpositioned on said linger board in a manner such that the characters ofeach kind Y indicate the correct fretting for one chord of saidinstrument. l Y

8. .A blank for being secured to theV finger board YbeneathV a pluralityof strings of a stringed musical instrument, saidV blank having aplurality of characters colored' in sets of red, White and bluerespectively, the characters being so arranged on saidblank-that thecharacters of each color Will directly underlie certain strings'atcertain pointsfalong the length thereof, thereby to indicate the fretting for one chord of the instrument when the blank is correctlyVpositioned on the finger board.' Y Y 9. A blank having a plurality ofcontrasting characters thereon and for'being secured to the finger boardof a stringed instrument beneath a plurality of strings thereof, the

characters bein' so arranged on said blank that those'o'f each kind Willindicate the fretting for one chord of the instrument when the blank iscorrectly positioned on the fingerln testimony whereof, I have'hereuntoaf` fixed my signature.

vminas R. STEWART.

CERTIFICATE 0F CCRRECTION.

Patent No. 1,699,380. Granted January 15, 1929, to

JAMES R. STEWART.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the abeve numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1,line 74, for the word "my" read "by";A page 2, lines 24, 25 and 26.claim 5, strike out the words "the strings, a plurality1 of charactersmade in a plurality of" and insert instead "a plurality of strings, aplurality of characters made in three"; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with these corrections therein that the same may conformto the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of February, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,699,380. Granted January 15, 1929, to

JAMES R. STEWART.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1,line 74, for the Word "my" read "by";V page 2, lines 24, 25 and 26,claim 5, strike out the words "the strings, a plurality of charactersmade in a plurality of" and insert instead "a plurality of strings, aplurality of characters made in three"; andl that the said LettersPatent should be read with these corrections therein that the same mayconform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of February, A. D. 1929.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

